Inking mechanism for printing machines



Oct. 17, 1944. v F; LAMATSCH 2,360,502

INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 19. 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 1 1 no N IINVENTOR ATT RNEY Oct. 17, I944. sc 2,360,502

INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 19, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR AfioRNEY INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 19, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR RNI IY Patented Oct. 7, 1944 N UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE- INKING MECHANI SM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Frederick Lamatsch, Grantwood, N. .J., assignmto R. Hoe & 00., Inc, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 19, 1942, Serial No. 435,282

14 Claims. (01. 101-366) This invention relate to inking mechanism for printing machines wherein ink is fed in accurately measured quantities, as by. pumps, and more articularly to such inking mechanism em played in connection with machines for printing newspapers and similar products, wherein it is desired that certain page be printed in color, in addition to the usual printing in black.

In this class of work, the requirements vary over a considerable range, for on some pages of the paper it is often desired to add one additional color, and on other pages to add another color or more colors than one.

Newspaper printing machines of the larger sizes are usually arranged to print a web which carries four pages of printing widthwise, the web subsequently being slit in the center to form the usual two page wide sheets which are then brought face to face and given a center fold that becomes the back edge of the completed paper. In the usual all black newspaper, each page is printed by passing the web through a printing unit having two printing couples, one of which prints it On one side and the other couple then prints it on the other side. By the use of the arrangement disclosed in Halliwell Patent No. 1,589,148, the black ink usually supplied to any page or a section of the page of a paper, may be cut off, and ink of another grade or color, fed to that section instead, but with the arrangement herein disclosed, much greater variation in color distribution can be obtained than is possible with the Halliwell arrangement.

When it is desired to add "printing in color to a web that has been printed in.black, the color is usually printed by a second impression. In the case of a full width web, the web is first led through a printing unit that prints it in black, and thence through additional-printing couples for each extra color that i desired on either side of the web. In the case of half width webs, the web maybe initially led through a printing unit and printed in black by. plates -located adjacent one end of the cylinder, and

then turned and led through the same printing urit a second time and printed additionally. with color by plates adjacent the opposite end of the cylinder. This distribution of color to the plates maybe obtained through the use of the arrangement shown in the Halliwell patent mentioned.

With the equipmentshown by Halliwell, color may be printed on any part of a web, while other parts are being printed inublack, but in respect to any one printing couple. the choice islimited to eitherof two'kinds or ink, whereaswith the.

arrangement herein disclosed, the choice is broadened.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved ink feeder ,for color printing, in which any page or section of a produotof the machine, may be printed with any one of several kinds of ink.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ink feeder having selectively operable groups of ink feeding units, arranged to supply ink of several kinds, the device being of generally improved construction, whereby the same wil1 be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and efficient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise embodiments of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.-

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a pla diagram showing the arrangement of an improve ink feeder in cooperation with an ink distributing cylinder as arranged for the inking system of a newspaper printing machine;

Figure 2 is a sectionalyiew through an ink rail shown generally, on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of an improved ink feeder specifically adapted to the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1; and shown with its top cover removed; t

Figure 4 is a sectional view partly broken away, of the ink feeder depicted in Figure 3, as seenv on the line l-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the ink feeder of Figure 3, as seen in the direction of arrow 5 in Figure 4;

printing units and web runs adapted to produce various arrangements of color printing.

The main components of the. inking mechanism herein disclosed are similar to those of the Halli- 'well patent, hereinbefore mentioned, and include ink feeders each having a plurality oifigpumps, and mounted at the side of the machine with conduits leading from each pump to openings in an ink rail positioned adjacent an ink distributing cylinder, each pump thus serving to supply ink'to a certain area of the said cylinder.

Referring to the form of the invention depicted in Figures 1 to 5, an ink distributing cylinder ll (Figure 1), is shown with shaft extensions l2 journaled in side frames l3 and M of the printing machine. It will be understood that ink deposited on the cylinder ii is transferred by ink rollers l6 and II, to printing plates on a form cylinder (not shown). As herein shown, an ink rail I is provided with thirty-two outlets l8, arranged preferabl in four. groups each group consisting of eight outlets, this arrangement being suitable for a printing machine adapted to print four pages widthwise of a web, each page having eight columns of printing. The four groups of outlets l8 supply ink to areas 2i, 22, 23 and 24 of the ink cylinder H, each area corresponding to a printed pageiof the product of the machine. Ink feeders 25 and 26, located preferably at opposite sides of the machine, are arranged as shown generally, in Figures 3, 4 and 5, and may be provided with pumps of the kind fully disclosed in Schmidt Patent No. 1,348,900.

These pumps, as in the Halliwell patent, are arranged in four rows, but in the form shown in Figures 1 to 5, in each ink feeder, a group comprising two rows of pumps is spaced from a group comprising the other two rows and each group operates in a separate chamber or compartment. In Figure 1, the several pump rows in the ink feeder device 25, are indicated 27a, 21b, 21c and 21d respectively, and similarly, the several pump rows in the ink feeder 26, are indicated28a, 26b, 28c and 28d respectively. These pumps are indicated generally in Figure 4 with the numeral.

29. As shown in Figure 3, one group of two pump rowsof each 01 the ink feeders 25 and 26 operates in a compartment 3|, and the other group operates in a compartment 32. A casing 33 is provided with inlets 34 and 35 through which ink may be supplied from any suitable source. The casing 33 is divided into the two compartments by means of a partition 36 having an opening 31 with a swinging door 38, pivoted on a screw 39 screw threaded into the partition 36. The door 38 may be swung closed and secured by the screw 33 or any suitable means to close the opening 31 between the compartments as shown in full lines in Figures-4 and 5. Valve actuating floats 4| and 42 are provided to separately control the level of ink supplied to each compartment when the door isclosed. Either float 4| or 42 may be used "to control the supply of ink furnished the compartments when the door 38 is open and one in the ink feeder 26, which are indicated 28a, 28b, 28c and 26d, to the outlets for the cylinder areas 24, 23, 22 and 2|, respectively. Thus, all of the cylinder areas can besupplied with either of two kinds of ink, and if desired, each of the four cylinder areas may be supplied with a different kind of ink.

The flow of ink from each of the pumps of each ink feeder 25 and 26 may be adjusted, or be entirely cut off, by the manipulation of adjusting screws 41 (Figure 4), and the flow from all of the eight pumps in any row of either ink feeder 25 or 26 ma be stopped by sliding a valve bar 48. The pumps in each casing 33 are driven preferably by a sprocket 49 connected by a chain to. a sprocket on any suitable rotating part of the printing machine. The sprocket 49 is secured to a cross shaft 5| (Figure 3) to which bevel gears 52 also are secured, and these mesh with bevel gears 53 and 54 on shafts which reciprocate the pumps 29 as shown in the Schmidt patent mentioned.

It has been found that the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 5 provides an ink feeder which fulfills the conditions most likely to be met, in the work for which it is especially adapted, but it will be understood that further increase in the range of ink distribution may be obtained by providing three partitions 36 instead of one in the casing 33, thus forming four compartments, and arranged so that each of the four pump rows 21a, 21b, 21c and 21d will operate. in a separate compartrnent, thereby making it possible to feed a different color ink from each pump row of the ink feeder 25 to each of the four cyiinder areas 2|, 22, 23 and 24 without removing the ink from the ink feeder 25. Also, a still further increase in the range of ink distribution may be obtained by dealing similarly with the ink feeder 26 and providing its casing with three partitions instead of but one.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 6, the ink rail has outlets l8 corresponding in number and arrangement, with those of the form previously described. Ink feeders 25a and 26a differ from those in the form shown in Figures 1 to 5, in that they are each provided with pump mechanisms having five rows of pumps, instead of four, the rows in ink feeder 25a being indicated 21 219, 2171., 217' and 21k while the rows in ink,

feeder 26a are indicated 28f, 289, 2872., 287 and 23k.

I The fifth pump rows 21k and 2870 are each in a kind of ink is fumishedto both of the compartments.

Each of the outlets I8 is connected to one of the pumps in the ink feeder 25, by a duct 43 (Figure 1) and also to a pump in the ink feeder 26 by a duct 44, the ducts 43 have terminals 45, near th left hand side of each outlet l8 and the ducts 44 have terminals 46 shown near the right hand side ofeach outlet -l8. The arrangement of ducts is'preferably such that from the ink feeder 26, connections are made from the upper row 21a of pumps in the ink feeder 25, to the outlets that supply the cylin r i ilarly, from the second row 21b to the outlets for the cylinder area 22, also, from the third row of pumps 21c to the outlets for the cylinder area 23, and from the fourth row 21d to the outlets separate compartment from the others. This additional pump row on each side of the machine is connected to a third set of terminals in the outlets I 8 that supply ink to the cylinder areas 2| and 24, and increases the range in the number of colors available for these cylinder areas, as they may be supplied with ink of either of three kinds.

The connections of the ink feeders 26a and 26a (Figure 6) with the outlets l8, are preferably such that ink may be fed to theportion oi the ink rail that supplies the cylinder area 2|, from either of pump rows 21 or 2170 .01 the ink feeder 25a or from pump row 287' of ink feeder 26a. Ink may be supplied to the area 22- by pump row 21!: of ink feeder 26a or pump row 28h. of ink feeder 26a. Area23 may be supplied by pump row 21h of ink feeder 26a or pump row 28: of ink feeder 26a, and area 24 may be supplied by pump row 21; of ink feeder 26a or either of pump rows 28/ or 26k of ink feeder 26a. Ducts I! connect the outlets It with pumps of theink feeder 26a and ducts It connect the 'joutle'ts l8. withpumps .of.

asoopo's and both compartments supplied with black ink,

thus providing for the usual printing in black over the entire width of the web, and the ink feeder 28 will then be held ,in reserve. If the puinps in the-ink feeder 25 are shut oil, and those in the ink feeder 28 turned on, it will then be possible to supply ink of one color to areas 2| and 22 of the printing cylinder, and'ink of another color to areas 23 and. Alternatively, ink of any desired color may be supplied to all the cylinder areas from theink feeder 28, andby using two colored inks in the ink feeder 28, and by removing the black ink from the ink feeder 25, closing the door 33, and substituting two colored inks, a different color ink may be supplied to each of the four areas of the cylinder. 1 p A considerable range of products can be produced with the arrangement disclosed in Figure .6 because of the two additional rows of pumps with their connections to areas 2| and 24 of the cylinder. This makes it possible to supply either black or a color ink to either of the four printing areas 2|, 22, 23 and 24, or another color can be substitutedon area 2|, and if desired, another color on area 24, without the necessity for cleaning out either ink feeder and substituting other If it is desired-to print two colors on the same page of a product, but in areas that do not closely approach each other as measured crosswise of part of the page, corresponding to the right hand portion of thesame cylinder area may be printed with ink of a Qfferent color, supplied from the ink feeder on the" right hand side of the machine, thereby printing two colors simutaneously on the same page and without passing the web through a second printing couple.

Referring to Figures 7 to 9, these show diagramatically, two conventional printing units with inking mechanism made in accordance with the invention and web runs for producing some of the products obtainable. The two printing units shown, include printing couples 8|, 82, 83 and 84, the plate or form cylinders of which are indicated respectively by numerals 88, 88, 81 and 88. Ink rails ii are shown adjacent the form cylinders 88 and 81 and it will be understood that ink feeders, as herein disclosed, are supplied at these points. The form cylinders 88 and 88 are supdisclosed may be readily arranged to print many combinations of colors on'any page of the prod- ,uct. In the web run shown in full lines in Figure 7, the web W is led successively through printing couples 8|, 82 and 84. All pages on the face A may be printed in black ink by e couple 3|, and on the face B, each page may f desired, be printed with a different kind of ink by the couple 82, and then in black ink by the couple 84. Simiii) -larly, by reversing the lead of the web, the web WI shown in dotted lines, is printed on the surface B in black ink by the couple 84, the surface A in a choice of colors by the opuple 83, and in black ink by the couple 8|.

With either web run shown in Figure '7, and using the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, with one arrangement of the valve bars 48 in the ink feeder, the printingin color by the couple 82 or couple 83 may be of one color over the entire area of the web. 'By another arrangement of the valve bars, four different inks may be used, each of the cylinder areas 2|, 22,23 and 24 being supplied with a different kind. By still another arrangement of the valve bars, ink of either of using the form of the invention shown in Figure 6, printing in color by the couple 82 or couple 83 may be of e ther of two colors over each cylinder area 22 and 23, and may be any one of three colors over cylinder areas 2| and 24, or a different kind of ink may be supplied to each cylinder area. Referring further to Figure 7, after leaving the couple 84, the web W shown in full lines is led over suitable rollers 55, turner bars 58, and rollers 81 to a folder 58, and in the alternative web run, the web WI as shown in dotted lines, is led from the couple 8|, over rollers 89, turner bars ll, rollers'12, to the folder 58. g I

In the arrangement shown in Figure 8, the web W2 s led through the couple 84, where the web face C may be printed by the plates on the cyl nder 88, wholly in black. The web surface D is then printed successively by couples 83 and 82,

which may be arranged to print any two colors on all of t e pages. or with the colors placed as deof the finished product as desired.

plied with ink' through ink rails 18, which may be of a simpler form having only one ink feeder each, and usually arranged to supply black ink only.

It will be'understood that aweb through a plurality of printing units of the kind shown, the ink feeding mechanism herein by suitably leading its normal direction as shown in Figure 7.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 9, rotation of the form cylinder 81 is reversed, and the web W3 is led through the couple 8| to print the surface'D in black, and the web surface C is then prirted successively by couples 82, 83 and 84, duplicat ng th resultproduced by the arrangement shown in Figure 8 except that the side D of the web W2 printed in three colors in Figure 8 "s printed in one color, in Figure 9. and the side C printed in one color in Figure 8 is printed in three colors in Figure 9. The transposition of the color arrangement permits plac ng the multicolor paces on either the inside or the outside Wth the web run shown in either of Figures 8 or 9. and using the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, the printing in color by each of the couples 82 and 83 may be the same as hereinbefore described with respect to the web runs of Figure '7. In the Figure 7 runs; one or the other of these couples is silenced and only one color in addltion to black is printed, but in the Figure8- v and 9 arrangements, both couples are used and two colors in addition to black are printed. Similarly, when the form of the invention shown in Figure 6 is used with web runs shown in Figures 8 and 9, two colors in addition to black are printed, the same choice of colors being possible because of the fact that the web is passed through both printing couples 62 and 63.

In describing theweb runs of Figures 7 to 9, the usual practice of making the black impression last has been followed, but it will be understood that if desired, the web runs may be changed, or the location of the ink rails that provide for the use of alternate color inks may be rearranged to make the impressions in any sequence desired.

It will be apparent to those versed in the art, that with equipment made and arranged as herein shown, a greater variety of effects in the line of color printing can be produced, than has heretofore been possible, unless a greater number of printing couples were used.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without de parting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In an ink feeder for a printing machine having an ink distributing member, a plurality of groups of ink feeder units each group being adapted to supply ink to one of a plurality of separate areas on the ink distributing member, ink chambers in each of which certain of the ink feeder units are operatively arranged, the said chambers having a communicating opening, and means for closing the opening when it is desired to use two kinds of ink.

2. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine having an ink distributing member, an ink rail having a set of ink discharge outlets for supplying ink to each of a plurality of areas on the ink distributing member, an ink feeder comprising a casing having a plurality of rows of ink feeder units therein, theink feeder units of each group each being connected to a discharge outlet of th same set, a partition between certain of the groups of units to divide the casing into two chambers and having an opening therein through which the casing chambers communicate, and means to close the opening.

3. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine having an ink distributing member, an ink rail having outlets for supplying ink to a plurality of areas on the ink distributing member, first and second ink feeders each having a casing with a plurality of rows of ink feeder units therein, each of the ink feeder units in a first row of each of the ink feeders being arranged to feed ink to an outlet for one of the said areas, and each of the ink feeder units in a second'row of each of the ink feeders being operable to feed ink to an outlet for another of the said areas, and a partition in each of the casings, whereby in the first ink feeder, the first row of units may feed a first kind of ink, the second row may feed a second kind chine having an ink distributing member, an ink rail having a plurality of sets of outlets, each set for supplying ink to one of a plurality of areas on the ink distributing member, a pair of ink feeders each having a casing with a plurality of rows of ink feeder units therein, each row in each feeder being operable to feed ink to one of the said areas, a partition in one of the casings between certain rows of units, and another row of units in the said one of the feeders and connected to one Of the sets of outlets, whereby ink of either 'of three kinds may be supplied to one of the said'areas.

5. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine having an ink distributing member, an ink rail having a plurality of sets of outlets, each set for supplying ink to one of a plurality of areas on the ink distributing member, a pair of ink feeders each having a casing with a plurality of rows oi ink feeder units therein, each row in each ink feeder being operable to feed ink to one of said areas, a partition in each of the casings between certain rows of units, and another row of units in each of the said feeders and connected to one of the sets of outlets, whereby ink of either of three kinds may be supplied to two of the said areas.

. 6. In a web printing machine, an ink distributing cylinder having four areas lengthwise thereof corresponding to pages to be printed on the web, an ink rail having a set of outlets to feed ink to the cylinder at each of the said areas, a plurality of ink pumps for each outlet, and conduits connecting the pumps with the outlets to feed ink of a different kind to each'of the sets of outlets in the rail, whereby a different kind of ink will be applied to each area on the cylinder.

7. In a web printing machine, an ink distributing cylinder having a plurality of areas lengthwise thereof corresponding to pages to be printed on the web, an ink rail having a set of outlets to feed ink to the cylinder at each of the said areas, I

one of the sets of outlets.

of ink, in the second ink feeder, the first row of units may feed a third kind of ink and the second row may feed a fourth kind of ink, and either of two kinds of ink. may be supplied to one said area and either of two other kinds of ink may be suppliedto the other said area.

4. In an inking mechanism for a printing ma- 8. In a printing machine, an ink distributing cylinder having a plurality of areas lengthwise thereof, a pair of ink feeders, a plurality of rows of ink pumps in each feeder, a plurality of pumps in each row of pumps, the pumps in each row of each feeder being connected to supply ink to the same area on the cylinder, means to provide ink of a different kind to each row of pumps in each feeder and thus apply a different kind of ink to each area on the cylinder.

9. In a printing machine, an ink distributing cylinder having a plurality of areas lengthwise thereof, a pair of ink feeders, a plurality of rows of ink pumps in each feeder, a plurality of pumps in each row of pumps, the pumps in each row of each feeder being connected to supply ink to the same area on the cylinder, means to provide ink of a different kind to each row of pumps in each feeder, means to silence selected pumps in each having an ink distributing cylinder and arranged to print four pages widthwise of a web, four groups of ink feeder units, each group having a plurality of pumps adapted to supply. ink to a aseasoa I 5 machine driven ink pumping mechanism, first groups of ink pumps to supply ink of a first kind to each ofseveral sections of the distributing member, means operable to stop the flow of ink to each section separately, and second and third groups of ink pumps adapted to supply ink of either a second kind or a third d to, a section when the flow of the first-kind of ink to that section is stopped.

12. In an ink feeder for a printing machine. a casing having a plurality of groups of ink feeder units therein, means to divide the casing into compeiitments to separate selected groups or the ink feeder units whereby a different kind of ink may be supplied to each of the separated groups of units, and means to join the casing compartments whereby the same kind of ink may be sup plied to all of the units.

13. In an ink feeder for a printing machine, a casing having a plurality of groups of ink feeder units therein, a partition in the casing to divide it into compartments each having a group of ink feeder units therein, whereby a diflerent kind of ink may be supplied to each group of units, and

means to render the partition ineffective when the same kind of ink is to be supplied to all of the units. f

14. In a printing machine, an ink distributing cylinder having separated areas lengthwise thereon, an ink rail having a plurality of sets of outlets, each set adapted to apply ink to one of the areas on the cylinder, a casing having a plu- 15 rality of groups of ink feeder units therein, the

units of each group being connected to one set of outlets in the ink rail, means dividing the cas- -ing into compartments to separate selected groups of, the ink feeder units in the casing,

'20 whereby different kinds of ink may be supplied to each of the selected sets of outlets in the ink rail, and means to nullify the dividing means when the same kind of ink is to be supplied to all of the outlets in the rail. 

